Browse Articles

Liquid-nano-liquid interface–oriented anisotropic encapsulation

Emulsion interface engineering has been widely employed for the synthesis of nanomaterials with various morphologies. However, the instability of the liquid–liquid interface and uncertain interfacial interactions impose significant limitations on controllable fabrications. Here, we developed a liquid-nano-liquid interface–oriented anisotropic encapsulation strategy for fabricating asymmetric nanohybrids. Specifically, functional nanoparticles such as magnetic nanoparticles, lanthanide fluorescent nanoparticles, and Au nanorods were anisotropically encapsulated by mesoporous polydopamine (mPDA). In this emulsion system, the wetting behavior of functional nanoparticles at the water/oil interface could be manipulated by the stabilizer of the emulsion (surfactant), leading to the anisotropic assembly of mPDA shell and resulting in various nanostructures, including core–shell, yolk–shell with small opening, ball-in-bowl, and multipetal structures. Due to their structural asymmetry, inherent magnetic properties, and photothermal properties, the ball-in-bowl structured Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 &mPDA nanohybrids, serving as proof of concept for nanomotors, demonstrated effective penetration of bacterial biofilm and promotion of infected wound healing. Overall, our approach offers a different perspective for designing morphologically controllable asymmetric structures based on liquid-nano-liquid interface in microemulsion systems that hold great potential for establishing innovative functional nanomaterials.

Publisher Correction: A novel sustainable biocide against the fruit fly Drosophila suzukii made from orange peels

Energy–poverty–inequality SDGs: A large-scale household analysis and forecasting in China

Affordable and clean energy, eliminating poverty, and reducing inequality are important goals of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This paper examines the role of access to clean cooking fuels in promoting income growth and reducing income inequality. Using data from Chinese households, we show that a 10% increase in the adoption of clean cooking fuels would result in an increase in total annual household income of US$37 billion nationwide. Income growth from access to clean cooking fuels is greater for lower-income groups due to a shift to higher household income and reduced downward household income mobility, which contributes to a reduction in income inequality. The effect of access to clean cooking fuels on household income growth is primarily driven by improved health and increased labor supply. The use of clean cooking fuels also saves fuel collection time and cooking time, reducing time spent on household chores by about 0.4 h per day, thereby increasing labor supply in the job market and improving wage income. Improvements in income due to clean cooking fuels are influenced by external conditions, urbanization, education, employment opportunities, and good market conditions. With further promotion of clean cooking fuels, household income and inequality in China are expected to improve further by 2030 and contribute more widely to human well-being and achievement of the SDGs.

Hybrid Prairie Dog and Dwarf Mongoose optimization algorithm-based application placement and resource scheduling technique for fog computing environment

The unequal adoption of ChatGPT exacerbates existing inequalities among workers

We study the adoption of ChatGPT, the icon of Generative AI, using a large-scale survey linked to comprehensive register data in Denmark. Surveying 18,000 workers from 11 exposed occupations, we document that ChatGPT is widespread, especially among younger and less-experienced workers. However, substantial inequalities have emerged. Women are 16 percentage points less likely to have used the tool for work. Furthermore, despite its potential to lift workers with less expertise, users of ChatGPT earned slightly more already before its arrival, even given their lower tenure. Workers see a substantial productivity potential in ChatGPT but are often hindered by employer restrictions and a perceived need for training.

Health risks evaluation of mycotoxins in plant-based supplements marketed in Malaysia

Gonadal sex and temperature independently influence germ cell differentiation and meiotic progression in <i>Trachemys scripta</i>

In species with genetic sex determination (GSD), the sex identity of the soma determines germ cell fate. For example, in mice, XY germ cells that enter an ovary differentiate as oogonia, whereas XX germ cells that enter a testis initiate differentiation as spermatogonia. However, numerous species lack a GSD system and instead display temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD). In the red-eared slider turtle, Trachemys scripta , a TSD model species with a warm female promoting temperature (FPT) and cool male promoting temperature (MPT) system, temperature directly affects germ cell number. In this study, we examined whether temperature directly affects other aspects of germ cell differentiation/sex identity. We uncoupled temperature and the sexual fate of the gonad by incubating eggs at MPT and treating with 17β-estradiol, a scheme that invariably produces ovaries. Through analysis of meiotic spreads, we showed that germ cells in FPT ovaries follow the typical pattern of initiating meiosis and progress through prophase I. However, in E2-induced ovaries that incubated at MPT, germ cells entered prophase I yet fail to exhibit synapsis. These results, combined with our single-cell transcriptome analysis, reveal a direct effect of temperature on germ cell sexual differentiation independent of its effect on the gonadal soma. These results imply that not all events of meiosis are under somatic control, at least not in this TSD species.

Barriers to orthodox medical care of prostate cancer in Ghana

Integrating Pollutant registers for the climate change risk evaluation of industrial companies in Australia, Europe and North America

The changing relationship between racial identity and skin color in Brazil

In recent years, Brazil’s non-White (Brown and Black) population became a numerical majority for the first time since the 19th century. Although we know this change was mostly due to racial reclassification, we do not know how such changes are related to skin color, the primary marker of race in Brazil. Using data from six Latin American Public Opinion Project (LAPOP), or America’s Barometer, surveys from 2010 to 2023, we examine how changes in racial self-identification (White, Brown, or Black) are related to respondent skin color (light, medium, or dark). We ask how the association between self-identified race and skin color changed over the 13-y period and to what extent these trends varied by educational level. We found a “darkening” of racial identification over time, especially among those with medium and dark skin, who increasingly identified as Black. Brazilians with light skin increasingly identified as Brown, but this was partly explained by changes in interviewer reporting of skin color in the same period. We found only minor evidence that education level was related to changing racial classification over time. Our findings further understanding of recent trends in racial reclassification, which may reflect growing Black consciousness and the extension of racial quotas to both Brown and Black Brazilians in federal universities and public sector jobs.

Investigation of electrochromic performances of multicolor V2O5 devices fabricated at low processing temperature

Deletion of metal transporter Zip14 reduces major histocompatibility complex II expression in murine small intestinal epithelial cells

Documented worldwide, impaired immunity is a cardinal signature resulting from loss of dietary zinc, an essential micronutrient. A steady supply of zinc to meet cellular requirements is regulated by an array of zinc transporters. Deletion of the transporter Zip14 (Slc39a14) in mice produced intestinal inflammation. Elevated fecal lipocalin-2, calprotectin, IgG levels, and dysbiosis support the inflammatory phenotype. Here, we show through RNA-sequencing, using purified intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), that Zip14 deletion produces markedly reduced expression of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) molecules and the master MHCII transactivator ( Ciita ). qPCR, western analysis, and immunohistochemistry confirmed loss of MHCII. Spectrofluorimetry with zinc probe FluoZin-3 showed reduced labile zinc in IECs from knockout mice. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, using Ciita antibody and IEC chromatin, suggest decreased transcription accounts for depressed expression of specific MHCII genes. Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin (ATAC) sequencing (ATAC-seq) demonstrated that H2-Aa , H2-Ab1 and other MHCII genes result from chromatin remodeling yielding closed chromatin at regulatory regions of these genes. In agreement, ATAC-seq showed peak density of the chromosomal regulatory region of Ciita is consistent with down regulation of specific MHCII genes in IECs with Zip14 loss. Finally, dietary zinc supplementation of knockout mice and zinc supplementation of intestinal organoids with Zip14 deletion restored transcript levels. Taken together, our data suggest that cellular zinc delivery, via Zip14, is necessary for proper chromatin occupancy, required for normal MHCII expression and effective immune functions, and to preclude inflammatory disorders of the small intestine.

Significant reduction in Hepatitis B virus infections following 32 years of universal Hepatitis B vaccination as part of EPI, Thailand

Reply to Zhang et al.: Parallel vector memories are required to explain all behavioral data in navigating bumblebees

Multi-view knowledge representation learning for personalized news recommendation

Zoos must embrace animal death for education and conservation

Multi-objective optimization and algorithmic evaluation for EMS in a HRES integrating PV, wind, and backup storage

Abstract This manuscript focuses on optimizing a Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES) that integrates photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines (WT), and various energy storage systems (ESS), including batteries, supercapacitors (SCs), and hydrogen storage. The system uses a multi-objective optimization strategy to balance power management, aiming to minimize costs and reduce the likelihood of loss of power supply probability (LPSP). Seven different algorithms are assessed to identify the most efficient one for achieving these objectives, with the goal of selecting the algorithm that best balances cost efficiency and system performance. The system is assessed across three operational scenarios: (1) when energy supply meets demand with help from backup systems, (2) when demand exceeds supply and energy storage systems are depleted, and (3) when energy generation surpasses demand and storage systems are full. The HBA-based optimization effectively manages energy flow and storage, ensuring grid stability and minimizing overcharging risks. This system offers a reliable and sustainable power supply for isolated microgrids, effectively managing energy production, storage, and distribution. The research sets a new benchmark for future studies in decentralized energy systems, particularly in balancing technical efficiency and economic feasibility.

Confined cell migration along extracellular matrix space in vivo

Collective migration of cancer cells is often interpreted using concepts derived from the physics of active matter, but the experimental evidence is mostly restricted to observations made in vitro. Here, we study collective invasion of metastatic cancer cells injected into the mouse deep dermis using intravital multiphoton microscopy combined with a skin window technique and three-dimensional quantitative image analysis. We observe a multicellular but low-cohesive migration mode characterized by rotational patterns which self-organize into antiparallel persistent tracks with orientational nematic order. We analyze the deformations induced by the cells in the extracellular matrix and find broadly distributed strain bands with a prevalence of compression. A model of active nematic hydrodynamics is able to describe several statistical features of the experimentally observed flow, suggesting that collective cancer cell invasion can be interpreted as a nematic active fluid in the turbulent regime. Our results help elucidate the migration patterns of cancer cells in vivo and provide quantitative guidance for the development of realistic in vitro and in silico models for collective cell migration.

Maternal iron deficiency assessed by serum ferritin and birth outcomes in mainland China

Efficacy of GABA aminotransferase inactivator OV329 in models of neuropathic and inflammatory pain without tolerance or addiction

Dysregulation of GABAergic inhibition is associated with pathological pain. Consequently, enhancement of GABAergic transmission represents a potential analgesic strategy. However, therapeutic potential of current GABA agonists and modulators is limited by unwanted side effects. We postulated that inhibition of GABA’s degradation enzyme, GABA aminotransferase (GABA-AT), would increase endogenous GABA levels and produce analgesia. We evaluated antinociceptive efficacy of the potent GABA-AT inhibitor OV329 in rodent models of neuropathic and inflammatory pain and assessed possible side effects (i.e., reward and motor impairment). OV329 attenuated the development and maintenance of mechanical and cold hypersensitivities induced by the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel. Prophylactic OV329, administered systemically, normalized paclitaxel-induced increases in glutamate levels and suppressed neuropathic nociception. Intrathecal OV329 suppressed paclitaxel-induced mechanical hypersensitivity, elevating GABA, and reducing glutamate levels in the lumbar spinal cord, consistent with a spinal site of action. Furthermore, OV329 largely synergized with paclitaxel to enhance 4T1 tumor cell line cytotoxicity without altering viability of nontumor cells. OV329 also attenuated inflammation-induced mechanical hypersensitivity induced by intraplanar injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) with efficacy comparable to morphine. Unlike morphine, OV329 did not produce reward in a conditioned place preference assay in mice and was not self-administered intravenously by rats. Antinociceptive efficacy of OV329 was observed at doses that did not impair motor function or produce tolerance following chronic dosing. Thus, inhibition of GABA-AT with OV329 represents a unique therapeutic strategy to alleviate neuropathic and inflammatory pain with no apparent abuse liability, potentially producing a beneficial spectrum of pharmacological effects through enzymatic regulation.